Murder at Cottonwood Creek by Clara McKenna

 

Three stars

This book came out November 25, 2025

A Stella and Lyndy Mystery #7

Follows Murder on Glenloch Hill

ARC kindly provided by Kensington Publishing and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

Entitled by Andrew Lownie

An interesting look at the relationship of Prince Andrew and Fergie. There was a lot of information but it felt somewhat surface level (which it probably will be unless you get to interview the people themselves.) I think part of my fatigue in listening is that thewriting followed a specific, rather repetitive pattern that I don't think I would have minded if I had read the book as  a hard copy. It was interesting how much there was about Prince Andrew and Jeffrey Epstein. 

Three stars

This book came out January 1, 2025

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own

Three Bags Full by Leonie Swann, Anthea Bell (Translator)

A story told from the third person omniscient point of view of a flock of sheep whose shepherd has died. They adored their shepherd. He read to them every night, gave them good grass, and took them out into the fields. But now he's dead. And it is, apparently, murder. The sheep don't trust the humans to be able to solve the case so they start working on it themselves. 

It is interesting to see both how perceptive the sheep are and how they so very badly read into the human situations. 

Three stars
Sheep Detective Story #1

Followed by Big Bad Wool

Borrowed as hard copy from library

Opinions are my own

Mrs. Pollifax, Innocent Tourist by Dorothy Gilman

Let's be honest, the Pollifax books are a product of their time. It's aging better than some books and definitely captures the tone of its time.
John Farrell is back and needs the help of Mrs. Pollifax. There is a manuscript that needs to be smuggled out of a Middle Eastern country and the author only trusted Farrell. Having Emily P. will help him fly under the radar. Or so they would think. But Emily is seated next to a man who is not only overly garrulous, he is more dangerous than he appears. And that will double the danger they are in as he has done something that will affect their safety even more.

Three stars

This book came out in 1997

Mrs. Pollifax #13

Follows Mrs. Pollifax and the Lion Killer

Followed by Mrs. Pollifax Unveiled

Hard copy I did not keep

Opinions are my own

The House with No Keys by Lindsay Currie

The Deltas are back. They've been helping out at the fun house but both Hannah and West could use more money. Big money. So when an invitation that promises them $10,000 each if they can finish a new mystery house. And there's a not-so-veiled threat it they don't. 

They go, but this is nothing like the previous book; these rooms feel mean. And it doesn't help that Sara has some secrets of her own. One of which will change the way the Delta's function forever.

This book was fine. Not as good as the first one but it's hard to follow up a mysterious haunted house with kids running round unsupervised. 

Four stars

This book came out April 2, 2024

The Delta Games #1

Follows The Mystery of the Locked Room

Borrowed as ebook from Libby

Opinions are my own

A Very Punchable Face by Colin Jost

Arguably, the things people best know Colin Jost for is being on SNL and marrying Scarlett Johansson. This book gives him a little more depth. Including a bit about how he tried to murder his younger brother and treated him fairly horribly, at least based on the stories in the book. It would be interesting to hear it from the other side. 

Overall it's a celebrity biography. A little bit about the behind-the-scenes of SNL through Jost's lens. But most of it is fairly bland and skates over a lot of the stories. Interesting but not much in depth.

Three stars
This book came out July 14, 2020

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own

Witch and Tell by Angela M. Sanders

Josie Way hasn't been enjoying life lately. Her love life is in the dumps and someone is siphoning off her magic. Now, her friend's boyfriend seems to have disappeared and there is a townsperson who has started a crusade against cats. And not just cats in real life, but book cats as well.

There was a lot and yet nothing going on in this book. The pacing of these books seems to be slow, slow, A LOT IS HAPPENING, slow. It can make it reading the books a bit of a slog, sometimes. 

Three and a half stars

This book comes out October 28, 2025

Witch Way Librarians #7

Follows The Witch is Back

ARC kindly provided by Kensington Publishing and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

Calling All Blessings by Beverly Jenkins

Another Blessings novel and storylines are being advanced. 

Devon July is getting older. As a child, he was treated as a prodigy, a child who could preach as well as an adult. Now, he's having trouble adjusting, hiding behind a wig and a LOT of denial and ego. 

His adopted great, great-grandmother is also having troubles. Her past has come back to haunt her and she's not sure what do do about it. She has promised to lead Devon on a spirit journey but her own turmoil is interfering somewhat.

There are a number of other characters included. I wouldn't start with this book as the stories are really better when read as a series. 

Three stars

This book came out October 28, 2025

Follows A Christmas to Remember

ARC kindly provided by Avon and Harper Voyager, and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

The Burning Court by John Dickson Carr

I picked this one up because I enjoy John Dickson Carr but I forgot how off the rails the solutions can be. The writing throughout most of the book is smooth and interesting. And it stays interesting but I don't think it's a solution that would be put out today. 

A publisher, Edward Stevens is reading a book on female murderers by a a reclusive author. He is astonished to see a picture that looks startlingly like his wife, down to the bracelet that she wears. But by the time he gets home, the picture is no longer in the manuscript. 

That concern is overshadowed by the fact that he is called because his friend believes that the friend's uncle, Miles Despard, was murdered. Stevens is skeptical because the idea had never been presented before. There WAS the testimony of the housekeeper that there was a woman dressed in old fashioned clothes who seemingly walked through a wall that has been covered up for over two hundred years. She has nothing to gain by saying that  and more evidence starts to mount. What actually happened?

Three stars

This book came out in 1937, reissued November 4, 2025

ARC kindly provided by Penzler Publishers and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

You're so Basic by Angela Casella

Danny and Mira are going to be roommates. Danny lives in his friend's apartment. His friend has moved in with his girlfriend so the girlfriend's sister is moving in with Danny. Both think it's going to be an interesting experience because Danny is an introvert who doesn't talk a lot, works from home, and is a morning person while Mira loves to be around people, owns her own bar, and is very much a night owl. 

The two both have previous relationships that have damaged them in their own ways but, when Mira breaks her foot and the two end up spending a lot of time together. 

There is also subplot that I didn't think was really needed about people spying on Danny but that whole point could have been left out as it did nothing to serve the plot. 

Three stars

This book came out 

Follows You're So Bad

Followed by You're so Vain

Borrowed as ebook from Kindle Unlimited

Opinions are my own

Don't Be Yourself Why Authenticity Is Overrated (and What to Do Instead) by Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic

I've always thought that the admonition to "just be yourself" doesn't make sense in the workplace context. Chamorro-Premuzic agrees whole-heartedly. There are definitely some... interesting examples given in this book. 

And a lot of these examples do make sense. How showing up authentically as a leader is a proof of privilege or how authenticity can be lost if a diversity program is not set up correctly. The author also tells us about the four authenticity traps and how to avoid them. 

Overall, the end of the story is not to be inauthentic but to show up as your best self. That may mean faking it some days. He argues that focusing on emotional intelligence will help you more and that if you learn to understand your coworkers, it will create a better work environment. 

Three stars

This book comes out October 7, 2025

ARC kindly provided by Harvard Business Review Press and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

If the Broom Fits by Sara Bourgeois

Brighton Longfield is not having a great time of it. She is divorced, recently fired, and her car just broke down. Luckily, it fires back up and she's able to make it into Coventry towing her U-Haul behind. Her new home, the one she inherited from her great aunt Maude "Mad" Tuttlesmith, is known as Hangman's House which is spooky enough but it doesn't look like it's even inhabitable so she stays at the local B&B. There, she meets a professor of the paranormal. He's a jerk to her. Later, Brighton learns he's definitely not endearing himself around town either. Too bad she's the one to discover him dead behind the local diner. 

She's not really a murder suspect but she has bigger things to deal with as she discovers that she's a witch and her family was pushed out of Coventry by the Skeenbauers, another local family of witches.

This is a shorter book so there are plot points that are rather abrupt but it was overall a nice read.

Three stars

This book came out March 17, 2019

Wicked Witches of Coventry #1

Followed by Doom and Broom

Borrowed as audiobook from Audible Premium Plus

Opinions are my own

Feint of Art by Hailey Lind

Annie Kincaid knows fake paintings. She grew up with a forger and may or may not have dabbled herself. These days, she's just trying to keep her faux finishing business afloat even as her new landlord is raising the rent prices. 
An ex reaches out and Annie agrees to go back to the museum she was fired from. The ex wants her to verify the authenticity of a newly acquired Caravaggio. It is definitely not an original. In fact, she recognizes the style. When the janitor who was also there at their midnight meeting turns up dead, Annie comes under the focus of the police. She decides to clear her own name. 

It took me a LONG time to get into this book. Definitely not a recent book; it isn’t aging well. Too many people to keep track of, most of whom aren't integraly to the story. 

Three stars

This book came out September 3, 2006

Annie Kincaid Mystery #1

Followed by Shooting Gallery

Hard copy I didn't keep

Opinions are my own

Mrs. Pollifax and the Lion Killer by Dorothy Gilman, Barbara Rosenblat (Narrator)

In a first, many characters return from the previous book. These include Kadi Hopkirk who was introduced to us as she hid is Mrs. Pollifax's closet and her friend Sammy who is going to be the next leader of an African country. Kadi has been staying in touch, and is especially bonded with Mrs. Pollifax's husband, Cyrus. But it's Mrs. Pollifax she turns to when Sammy sends her a message saying that he needs her help.

When Kadi and Mrs. Pollifax get to Africa, they will need to keep all of their wits about them as rumors swirl that Sammy is a sorcerer. Seeming to back it up are a number of murders that appear to have been perpetrated by a lion, but Mrs. Pollifax is suspicious. 

Three stars

This book came out in 1995

Mrs. Pollifax #12

Follows Mrs. Pollifax Pursued

Followed by Mrs. Pollifax, Innocent Tourist

Borrowed as audiobook from Audible Premium Plus

Opinions are my own

Mrs. Pollifax Pursued by Dorothy Gilmanby, Barbara Rosenblat (Narrator)

Cyrus is not at home, and there are strange things happening. Items are moving around, food has gone missing, and there are strange men in the garden. Mrs. Pollifax is not one to overreact, but she really thinks something is going on. When she finds Kadi Hopkirk hiding in her closet, she is almost relieved. At least that explains everything that has been going on. Now the chase is on.
It seems Kady has a friend, Sammy, whose father is president of an African country. When they accidetally met, he passed her important information. Of course, this is right up Mrs. P's alley and she is immediately on the bandwagon to help. That means a car chase, a call to her CIA contact, and being housed in a carnival. 

Three stars

This book came out in 1995

Mrs. Pollifax #11

Follows Mrs. Pollifax and the Second Thief

Followed by Mrs. Pollifax and the Lion Killer

Borrowed as audiobook from Audible Premium Plus

Opinions are my own

The Infinite Game by Simon Sinek

Sinek argues that we think of too many things in life, including life itself, as a finite game. As if there is a goal to get to and then you're done. He argues that we should, in fact, be thinking as if there are things in life that are infinite, that we are going to be continiually working towards goals that may be moving. 

This is a typical business-type nonfiction book with stories carefully picked to ensure that they are going to support the author's versioni of how we should be working. An interesting read and somewhat atypical in that it's not asking businesses to set a specific goal but it is another in a set of books that could have been done as a Ted Talk and didn't need to try and force an expansion.

Three stars

This book came out January 1, 2017

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own

Murder in the Maze by J.J. Connington

Roger and Neville are twins. Roger has money acquired through methods that may not have been particularly legal. Neville is a lawyer with a big case. They are both at Roger's estate and have decided to find some alone time in the two centers of the maze. Two visitors to the house decide to go into the maze around the same time and discover both twins dead. 

There are many suspects including the twins' brother Ernest who seems to be something of a leech, their nephew Arthur who hasn't been quite the same after a bout of encephalitis, their niece Sylvian, and Roger's secretary, Stenness who has some secrets of his own.

Into this place come Sir Clinton Driffield, the Chief Constable, and Wendover who solve the mystery which was probably fairly clued when it was written, but some of the nuance may be missed by modern readers. I picked this book up based on the review from the Classic Mysteries Podcast and did not regret it. 

Three stars

This book came out in 1927

Sir Clinton Driffield #1

Borrowed as ebookf from Hoopla

Opinions are my own

You're So Bad by Angela Casella

Shauna is dealing with some stuff. Her ex-boyfriend and her ex-best friend are getting married. If that's not bad enough, they've asked her to be a bridesmaid. For the wedding that's going to be on her birthday. But she's totally fine. Totally. 

Her grandmother isn't so sure and has been spreading rumors that Shauna's dating a pediatrician. Well, she's not so her grandmother has also found a stand in. And Leo is all in. Shauna's cute and her grandmother is a trip so he's willing to help out.

There's a secondary story of them helping out a runaway teen. 

I never really connected to either Shauna or Leanard. The story was... fine and moved the friend group along. But I didn't see how Shauna or Leo connected really outside of the fake dating.

Three stars

This book came out August 31, 2023

Finding You #2

Follows
You're So Extra

Followed by You're So Basic

Borrowed as ebook from Kindle Unlimited

Opinions are my own

Rattle His Bones by Carola Dunn, Lucy Rayner (Narrator )

Daisy is putting together an article about the Kensington’s Natural History Museum. When she goes, she meets an assortment of characters including curators, security, and guests. She comes for a return visit,
joined by her nephew and her fiancé’s daughter. They’re fascinated by the dinosaurs and butterflies. Of course, this would be the visit that a curator is murdered.  Surprising no one (as this is a fiction book), it is Detective Chief Inspector Alec Fletcher who is called in to solve the case. 

Throw in a displaced Royal Duke and some missing jewels, and it’s a romp to the end. 

Three stars

This book came out in 2000

Daisy Dalrymple #8

Follows Styx and Stones

Followed by To Davy Jones Below

Borrowed as audiobook from Audible Premium Plus

Opinions are my own

The Killer Question by Janice Hallett

I have really enjoyed Hallett's bookI have really enjoyed Hallett's books in the past, especially the updating of the epistolary style. This book was a little bit heavier on texting which made for a bit of a slog.

This is, once again, a story within a story. The conceit is that the nephew of two people killed five years ago is shopping the idea of a short true crime series based around the events. We are reading the information that the nephw is sending to the producer's assistant, all of it over text messaging.

The main story is around his aunt and uncle who run a pub which includes a trivia night. They are part of a group chat of other pubs in the area who also run trivia nights so we get to know a bit about the owners, but even more about the dedicated players who go to the different pub nights. Everything is upended by the discovery of a body as well as a new group that starts sweeping the quizzes. 

While I liked the overall story, I kept having to stop and come back since reading text messages got a bit tedious. Later in the book, we got some longer paragraphs but by then we're getting in to the twists so it's a little bit of whiplash from a number of directions. 

Three stars

This book comes out September 23, 2025

ARC kindly provided by Atria Books and NetGalley

Opinions are my own